Canadian bishops follow Pope's call to help marginalised

25 Sept. 2013: Canada's Catholic bishops have responded to Pope Francis' call to minister to people on the margins of society. "In virtue of our Gospel mandate, the church willingly goes to people on the margins to affirm their dignity and foster their full inclusion in society," Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton, Alberta, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, said on Monday (Sept. 23), the opening day of the bishops' plenary assembly. Archbishop Smith also said in Quebec, citizens are debating the proposed Charter of Quebec Values, which would ban public sector workers from wearing any religious signs or attire, except for discreet pieces of jewellry. It would, however, allow the crucifix to remain in the National Assembly of Quebec.
Archbishop Paul-Andre Durocher of Gatineau, CCCB vice president, in his homily during the opening Mass of the bishops' meeting said "The political parties have good intentions to leave the crucifix in the national assembly as a vestige of Quebec's cultural and historical patrimony. He also quoted Pope Francis' interview published Sept. 19 in Jesuit publications around the world and urged his fellow bishops to listen to the pontiff's words: "The thing that the church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and warm the hearts of the faithful. He said this year's plenary assembly "will be largely shaped" by Pope Francis' call to consider those on the margins.
The plenary agenda included topics such as solidarity with First Nations people, protecting life and family, the ministry of the church's development and relief organizations and upholding religious freedom.